I am at my wits' end.
A while ago I noticed a display brightness problem with my MacBook (slight fluctuations in the brightness). Soon after, I noticed a crack near the front edge of the top case on the right side, a well-known issue I'd already had repaired once before. I brought my MacBook, which is covered by AppleCare, to my local Apple Store (Smith Haven in Lake Grove, NY) on Saturday 18 October in hope of having these issues repaired. I did not expect to still be dealing with them nearly two weeks later.
At the Apple Store, the Genius (Apple jargon for in-store tech) noticed that in addition to the issues I identified, the display hinge felt loose. Along with the display brightness issue (which he speculated was caused by a bad logic board or inverter board) and the crack in the top case, he noted on the work authorization that the display hinge needed to be replaced.
On Wednesday 22 October, I received the MacBook by FedEx from Apple's outsourced repair center, Flextronics International in Memphis, TN. The display brightness issue had been fixed and the display hinge replaced, but incredibly, the top case was not replaced, even though the crack was very obvious and above all, the work authorization clearly stated that it should be replaced. Furthermore, small cracks had now appeared where the rear display bezel meets the display hinge and at the rear edge of the lower case near the exhaust vent, caused by the display hinge replacement. On the other hand, my SuperDrive - which I had no idea was faulty - was also replaced.
I was busy over the next few days and therefore unable to take the MacBook back to the Apple Store until Saturday 25 October. I showed the Genius (not the one I spoke to the first time) the top case crack that had not been fixed, as well as the new cracks that had been caused when the display hinge was replaced. He noted on the work authorization that the top case, the lower case and the rear display bezel should all be replaced because of cracks. Once again, my MacBook was sent off to the repair depot.
On Tuesday 28 October, I checked Apple's repair status web site and it indicated that my MacBook had arrived at the depot but that the status was "on hold" because more information was required, and that I should call AppleCare to provide this information. I called AppleCare and, after ample opportunity to confirm my suspicion that Apple has the world's worst hold music, was informed that the repair had been on hold earlier that morning, but whatever issue had caused it to be on hold had been resolved and that the repair was now underway.
In the evening I again checked the repair status web site and found that despite the assurances I was given, the status remained "on hold - more information needed - call AppleCare". With my confidence in Apple's service rapidly waning, I thought that perhaps the earlier assurances I was given were in error, so I again called AppleCare and was again told the repair was indeed being carried out, and that the status on the web site did not match that on the representative's computer, which would be more accurate. She speculated that perhaps the repair might be on hold pending the arrival of a part, but that no more information was required from me.
On Wednesday 29 October I was delighted to find the status changed to "product return pending" and then, in the evening, to see that it had shipped and was scheduled to arrive this morning (Thursday 30 October).
The MacBook did indeed arrive this morning, but to my dismay it has not been completely fixed. As expected, the top case and bottom case have been replaced, however, the rear display bezel, which had a small crack near the hinge caused by the replacement of the hinge during the previous depot repair, was not replaced. In addition, Apple once again seems to have discovered heretofore-unnoticed parts requiring replacement; in addition to the top and bottom case, an MPM mount, front and rear hard drive snubbers and a Sunon fan with cable were all replaced.
Naturally, I am quite exasperated but will be returning to the Apple Store later today. I feel like I deserve some kind of compensation for their incredible incompetence - it is not that difficult to read a work authorization and do what it says! - considering how much of my time it is beginning to take up.
A while ago I noticed a display brightness problem with my MacBook (slight fluctuations in the brightness). Soon after, I noticed a crack near the front edge of the top case on the right side, a well-known issue I'd already had repaired once before. I brought my MacBook, which is covered by AppleCare, to my local Apple Store (Smith Haven in Lake Grove, NY) on Saturday 18 October in hope of having these issues repaired. I did not expect to still be dealing with them nearly two weeks later.
At the Apple Store, the Genius (Apple jargon for in-store tech) noticed that in addition to the issues I identified, the display hinge felt loose. Along with the display brightness issue (which he speculated was caused by a bad logic board or inverter board) and the crack in the top case, he noted on the work authorization that the display hinge needed to be replaced.
On Wednesday 22 October, I received the MacBook by FedEx from Apple's outsourced repair center, Flextronics International in Memphis, TN. The display brightness issue had been fixed and the display hinge replaced, but incredibly, the top case was not replaced, even though the crack was very obvious and above all, the work authorization clearly stated that it should be replaced. Furthermore, small cracks had now appeared where the rear display bezel meets the display hinge and at the rear edge of the lower case near the exhaust vent, caused by the display hinge replacement. On the other hand, my SuperDrive - which I had no idea was faulty - was also replaced.
I was busy over the next few days and therefore unable to take the MacBook back to the Apple Store until Saturday 25 October. I showed the Genius (not the one I spoke to the first time) the top case crack that had not been fixed, as well as the new cracks that had been caused when the display hinge was replaced. He noted on the work authorization that the top case, the lower case and the rear display bezel should all be replaced because of cracks. Once again, my MacBook was sent off to the repair depot.
On Tuesday 28 October, I checked Apple's repair status web site and it indicated that my MacBook had arrived at the depot but that the status was "on hold" because more information was required, and that I should call AppleCare to provide this information. I called AppleCare and, after ample opportunity to confirm my suspicion that Apple has the world's worst hold music, was informed that the repair had been on hold earlier that morning, but whatever issue had caused it to be on hold had been resolved and that the repair was now underway.
In the evening I again checked the repair status web site and found that despite the assurances I was given, the status remained "on hold - more information needed - call AppleCare". With my confidence in Apple's service rapidly waning, I thought that perhaps the earlier assurances I was given were in error, so I again called AppleCare and was again told the repair was indeed being carried out, and that the status on the web site did not match that on the representative's computer, which would be more accurate. She speculated that perhaps the repair might be on hold pending the arrival of a part, but that no more information was required from me.
On Wednesday 29 October I was delighted to find the status changed to "product return pending" and then, in the evening, to see that it had shipped and was scheduled to arrive this morning (Thursday 30 October).
The MacBook did indeed arrive this morning, but to my dismay it has not been completely fixed. As expected, the top case and bottom case have been replaced, however, the rear display bezel, which had a small crack near the hinge caused by the replacement of the hinge during the previous depot repair, was not replaced. In addition, Apple once again seems to have discovered heretofore-unnoticed parts requiring replacement; in addition to the top and bottom case, an MPM mount, front and rear hard drive snubbers and a Sunon fan with cable were all replaced.
Naturally, I am quite exasperated but will be returning to the Apple Store later today. I feel like I deserve some kind of compensation for their incredible incompetence - it is not that difficult to read a work authorization and do what it says! - considering how much of my time it is beginning to take up.
